tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69384888580926238412014-10-04T19:29:42.633-05:00A Nonpartisan Focus on United States PoliticsRepublican, GOP, conservative, Democratic, Democrats, liberals, Independent, and Third Party. Mock elections, caucuses and primary information, results, views, policies, nonpartisan - objective and unbiased.Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.comBlogger117125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-82809094640147402342008-11-04T11:33:00.001-06:002008-11-04T11:35:26.693-06:00It's election day, do you need help in finding out where you are supposed to vote (polling place finder)Here is where you can <a href="http://www.vote411.org/pollfinder.php">find out where to vote</a> (as long as you are registered).Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-10971888867917778932008-10-23T16:12:00.004-05:002008-10-23T16:22:41.832-05:00257 people control the fate of this 2008 presidential electionThe true decision for whom will be President will be decided upon December 15, 2008, when the members of the electoral college cast their vote for the next President of the United states. There are 538 members of the Electoral college, and approximately 257 of those 538 people are not bound by law to vote in accordance with the popular vote, rather their decision is final. That equates to nearly 48% of the vote for President in the hands of 257 people. At least 270 votes are required to win the Presidential election.<br /><br />Find out below if your electoral college members representing your state are bound by law to vote with the public: (If this makes you mad at all, what are you going to do about it?)<br /><br /><br />List of Electors Bound by State Law and Pledges, (as of November 2000)<br />Source: Congressional Research Service<br /><br /><br />The Office of the Federal Register presents this material for informational purposes only, in response to numerous public inquiries. The list has no legal significance. It is based on information compiled by the Congressional Research Service. For more comprehensive information, refer to the statutory provisions provided. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">No Legal Requirement<br />Electors in these States are not bound by State Law to cast their vote for a specific candidate:</span><br /><br />ARIZONA - 10 Electoral Votes<br />ARKANSAS - 6 Electoral Votes<br />DELAWARE - 3 Electoral Votes<br />GEORGIA - 15 Electoral Votes<br />IDAHO - 4 Electoral Votes<br />ILLINOIS - 21 Electoral Votes<br />INDIANA - 11 Electoral Votes<br />IOWA - 7 Electoral Votes<br />KANSAS - 6 Electoral Votes<br />KENTUCKY - 8 Electoral Votes<br />LOUISIANA - 9 Electoral Votes<br />MINNESOTA - 10 Electoral Votes<br />MISSOURI - 11 Electoral Votes<br />NEW HAMPSHIRE - 4 Electoral Votes<br />NEW JERSEY - 15 Electoral Votes<br />NEW YORK - 31 Electoral Votes<br />NORTH DAKOTA - 3 Electoral Votes<br />PENNSYLVANIA - 21 Electoral Votes<br />RHODE ISLAND - 4 Electoral Votes<br />SOUTH DAKOTA - 3 Electoral Votes<br />TENNESSEE - 11 Electoral Votes<br />TEXAS - 34 Electoral Votes<br />UTAH - 5 Electoral Votes<br />WEST VIRGINIA - 5 Electoral Votes<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Legal Requirements or Pledges<br />Electors in these States are bound by State Law or by pledges to cast their vote for a specific candidate:</span><br /><br />ALABAMA - 9 Electoral Votes<br /> Party Pledge / State Law - § 17-19-2 <br />ALASKA - 3 Electoral Votes<br /> Party Pledge / State Law - § 15.30.040; 15.30.070 <br />CALIFORNIA - 55 Electoral Votes<br /> State Law - § 6906 <br />COLORADO - 9 Electoral Votes<br /> State Law - § 1-4-304 <br />CONNECTICUT - 7 Electoral Votes<br /> State Law § 9-175 <br />DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - 3 Electoral Votes<br /> DC Pledge / DC Law - § 1-1312(g) <br />FLORIDA - 27 Electoral Votes<br /> Party Pledge / State Law - § 103.021(1) <br />HAWAII - 4 Electoral Votes<br /> State Law - §§ 14-26 to 14-28 <br />MAINE - 4 Electoral Votes<br /> State Law - § 805 <br />MARYLAND - 10 Electoral Votes<br /> State Law - § 20-4 <br />MASSACHUSETTS - 12 Electoral Votes<br /> Party Pledge / State Law - Ch. 53, § 8, Supp. <br />MICHIGAN - 17 Electoral Votes<br /> State Law - §168.47 (Violation cancels vote and elector is replaced). <br />MISSISSIPPI - 6 Electoral Votes<br /> Party Pledge / State Law - §23-15-785(3) <br />MONTANA - 3 Electoral Votes<br /> State Law - §13-25-104 <br />NEBRASKA - 5 Electoral Votes<br /> State Law - § 32-714 <br />NEVADA - 5 Electoral Votes<br /> State Law - § 298.050 <br />NEW MEXICO - 5 Electoral Votes<br /> State Law - § 1-15-5 to 1-15-9 (Violation is a fourth degree felony.) <br />NORTH CAROLINA - 15 Electoral Votes<br /> State Law - § 163-212 (Violation cancels vote; elector is replaced and is subject to $500 fine.) <br />OHIO - 20 Electoral Votes<br /> State Law - § 3505.40 <br />OKLAHOMA - 7 Electoral Votes<br /> State Pledge / State Law - 26, §§ 10-102; 10-109 (Violation of oath is a misdemeanor, carrying a fine of up to $1000.) <br />OREGON - 7 Electoral Votes<br /> State Pledge / State Law - § 248.355 <br />SOUTH CAROLINA - 8 Electoral Votes<br /> State Pledge / State Law - § 7-19-80 (Replacement and criminal sanctions for violation.) <br />VERMONT - 3 Electoral Votes<br /> State Law - title 17, § 2732 <br />* VIRGINIA - 13 Electoral Votes<br /> State Law - § 24.1-162 (Virginia statute may be advisory - "Shall be expected" to vote for nominees.) <br />WASHINGTON - 11 Electoral Votes<br /> Party Pledge / State Law - §§ 29.71.020, 29.71.040, Supp. ($1000 fine.) <br />WISCONSIN - 10 Electoral Votes<br /> State Law - § 7.75 <br />WYOMING - 3 Electoral Votes<br /> State Law - §§ 22-19-106; 22-19-108<br /><br /><a href="http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/laws.html">The above information was found here.</a>Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-24748780256049002282008-10-16T01:05:00.003-05:002008-10-16T01:09:49.563-05:00United States presidential election debates, 2008The bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) is sponsoring four debates for the 2008 U.S. presidential general election, taking place at various locations around the United States in September and October 2008. Three of the debates involve the presidential nominees, and one involved the vice-presidential nominees.<br /><br />Republican Party nominee John McCain and Democratic Party nominee Barack Obama have not agreed to additional debates; however, both were interviewed back to back at a forum in August and at the Service Nation Presidential Forum in September. Their respective running mates, Sarah Palin and Joe Biden, have not mentioned any other debates.<br /><br />Contents<br /><br /><br /> * 1 Joint appearances<br /> * 2 Scheduled debates<br /> o 2.1 Format<br /> o 2.2 Participants<br /> * 3 September 26: First presidential debate (University of Mississippi)<br /> o 3.1 Reception<br /> o 3.2 Proposed postponement<br /> * 4 October 2: Vice presidential debate (Washington University in St. Louis)<br /> * 5 October 7: Second presidential debate (Belmont University – Nashville townhall)<br /> o 5.1 Reception<br /> * 6 October 15: Third presidential debate (Hofstra University – Hempstead, New York)<br /> * 7 Proposed debates that did not materialize<br /> * 8 See also<br /> * 9 References<br /> * 10 External links<br /><br />Joint appearances<br /><br />Main articles: Civil Forum on The Presidency and Service Nation#Candidates presidential forum<br /><br />On Saturday, August 16, 2008, both McCain and Obama appeared at Pastor Rick Warren's Saddleback Church. Similar to the Compassion Forum held in the Democratic debates, each candidate appeared separately, answering similar questions from Warren for one hour. Obama appeared first, followed by McCain.[1][2]<br /><br />On September 11, 2008, McCain and Obama were separately interviewed at the Service Nation presidential forum at Columbia University.[3]<br /><br />Scheduled debates<br /><br />Although the nominees of the Republican and Democratic parties and any permitted third-party candidates must agree to the final schedule and formats, the following is the schedule announced by the CPD on November 19, 2007.[4]<br /><br />Three presidential debates:<br /><br /> * Friday, September 26, 2008, 9 p.m. EDT at the University of Mississippi's Gertrude C. Ford Center in Oxford, Mississippi,[5] moderated by Jim Lehrer, executive editor and anchor of The NewsHour on PBS. This debate was originally planned to focus on foreign policy and national security. Due to the 2008 financial crisis, a portion of the debate focused on economic issues.[6][dead link]<br /> * Tuesday, October 7, 2008, 9 p.m. EDT at Belmont University's Curb Event Center in Nashville, Tennessee,[7] moderated by Tom Brokaw, special correspondent and former evening news anchor for NBC News. This debate had a town-hall meeting format.<br /> * Wednesday, October 15, 2008, 9 p.m. EDT at Hofstra University's Hofstra Arena in Hempstead, New York,[8] moderated by Bob Schieffer, CBS News chief Washington correspondent and host of Face the Nation. This debate focused on domestic and economic policy.[6]<br /><br />One vice-presidential debate:<br /><br /> * Thursday, October 2, 2008, 9 p.m. EDT at Washington University in St. Louis' Field House in the university's Athletic Complex in St. Louis, Missouri,[9] moderated by Gwen Ifill, senior correspondent on The NewsHour and moderator and managing editor of Washington Week on PBS.[10] The vice presidential debate covered both foreign and domestic topics.<br /><br />Format<br /><br />The first and third of the 90-minute CPD presidential debates will be divided into nine 9-minute issue segments, allowing the candidates to discuss selected topics, answer follow-ups from a moderator and directly address each other. The second CPD presidential debate will feature a town hall format in which voters, either present at the debate or via the Internet, may pose questions on any topic. The single vice presidential debate format followed that of the first and third presidential debates, but included questions on all topics, with shorter response and discussion periods compared to the presidential forums.[11][12]<br /><br />Participants<br /><br />The Republican and Democratic nominees, as well as any third-party and independent candidates who average 15 percent support in polls, will be invited to take part in the debates sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates.<br /><br />Senator Barack Obama<br />Illinois<br /> <br />Senator John McCain<br />Arizona<br /><br />On August 2, 2008, Obama accepted the CPD proposal. In his letter, he stated that due to the short period between the conventions and the campaign, that it was "likely that the four Commission debates will be the sole series of debates" between the two. McCain criticized Obama for rejecting his town hall proposal.[13] On August 21, 2008, McCain and Obama announced they had agreed to the general CPD framework for the three scheduled presidential debates and the one vice presidential debate.[14]<br /><br />A Zogby International poll released on August 15, 2008 indicated that more than 50% of Democratic and Republican voters would like to see Bob Barr included in the presidential debates. Almost 70% of independent voters would also like to see him included. 46% of all voters polled and 59% of independents would also like to see Ralph Nader included. However, this Zogby Interactive poll was conducted online and therefore not a representative sample of registered voters. Other Zogby Interactive polls overstate the Libertarian candidate's support and are generally extremely inaccurate when compared to telephone based polls that are a more representative sample of the electorate. [15]<br /><br />September 26: First presidential debate (University of Mississippi)<br /><br /><br /><br />Moderated by Jim Lehrer, PBS<br />Participants: <br />Senator Barack Obama<br />Senator John McCain<br />Location: University of Mississippi<br />Oxford, Mississippi<br />Date: September 26, 2008<br />Wikinews has related news:<br />McCain and Obama face off in U.S. presidential candidate debate<br /><br />Although the debate was planned to focus on foreign policy and national security, Lehrer did devote the first half of the debate to the ongoing financial crisis.[16] McCain repeatedly referred to his experience, drawing on stories from the past. Often, he joked of his age and at one point seemed to mock his opponent. Obama tied McCain to what he characterized as Bush Administration mistakes and repeatedly laid out detailed plans. Neither McCain nor Obama broke from talking points, and neither candidate made any major gaffe.[17]<br /><br />Reception<br /><br />A CBS poll conducted after the debate on independent voters found that 38% felt it was a draw, 40% felt Obama had won, and 22% thought that McCain had won. Voters and analysts agreed that Obama had won on the economy, but that McCain had done better on foreign policy issues, which were the focus of the debate. However, Obama had a more substantial lead on the economy than McCain did on foreign policy.[18] Initial CNN polling reported Obama won the debate overall by a margin of 51–38.[19] A CBS poll of uncommitted voters shows Obama winning 39–24, with 37% of voters undecided.[20] An estimated 52.4 million people watched the debate.[21]<br /><br />Several pollsters noted in the subsequent week that the public's perception of the debate might have been influenced by John McCain not looking at his opponent during the debate, something many considered disrespectful.[22]<br /><br />Proposed postponement<br /><br />On September 24, 2008, McCain announced his intention to suspend his campaign the next day and declared that he wanted to delay the first debate "until we have taken action" on the Paulson financial rescue plan.[23] The reason given for the proposed postponement was so that McCain and Obama could return to Washington, D.C. in order to work on a legislative response to the unfolding economic turmoil. Obama rejected that idea, stating that "this is exactly the time when the American people need to hear from the person who, in approximately 40 days, will be responsible for dealing with this mess."[24] A McCain adviser suggested replacing the Vice Presidential debate with the first Presidential debates and postponing the VP debates to an unspecified later date.[25] Chancellor of the University of Mississippi, Robert Khayat, proposed that Obama hold a townhall meeting with the audience if McCain failed to appear.[26] On the morning of September 26, McCain agreed to participate in the debate, claiming that there had been enough progress in the financial bailout plan.[27] Three days later, however, the House of Representatives defeated the bailout proposal.[28]<br /><br />October 2: Vice presidential debate (Washington University in St. Louis)<br /><br /> Main article: United States vice-presidential debate, 2008<br /><br />On October 2, 2008, U.S. vice presidential candidates Joe Biden and Sarah Palin held a debate at Washington University in St. Louis. It was moderated by PBS's Gwen Ifill.[29][30]<br /><br />October 7: Second presidential debate (Belmont University – Nashville townhall)<br /><br />Moderated by Tom Brokaw, NBC News<br />Participants: Barack Obama, John McCain<br />Democratic and Republican<br />Presidential Nominees<br />Location: Belmont University<br />Nashville, Tennessee<br />Date: October 7, 2008<br /><br />Moderator Tom Brokaw of NBC opened the debate by stating that since the first debate a lot had changed in the world and for the worse. While Brokaw did not ask the initial questions, he did ask follow-up ones. When the candidates were asked who they would consider as the next Secretary of the Treasury, John McCain said that he might concur with Obama's suggestion of Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett and then went on also to suggest former eBay president Meg Whitman. Barack Obama reiterated the mention of Buffett and said there are also many other qualified Americans. Both candidates said that it is important to choose as Treasury Secretary someone who earns the trust of the American people. The first 5 questions all were related to the economy.<br /><br />The first Internet question came from a 78-year-old, as Brokaw pointed out, "child of the Depression" about sacrifices that Americans might have to make in the future. McCain responded that spending – besides defense, veterans' affairs, and certain other vital programs that he specified during the first debate – would have to be frozen.<br /><br />McCain was critical of Obama's support for a $3 million earmark which would have bought a new planetarium projector for Chicago's Adler Planetarium, the oldest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere. The current Zeiss Mark VI projector is 40 years old and no longer supported by its manufacturer, Carl Zeiss AG. The earmark was not approved.[31]<br /><br />Reception<br /><br />CNN's poll conducted after the debate found that 54% of those surveyed thought that Obama had won and 30% felt McCain had won.[32] In CBS' poll of uncommitted voters, 40% felt Obama had won, 26% thought McCain had won, and 34% said it was a tie.[33]<br /><br />Several media outlets, especially those on the Internet, reported controversy over McCain referring to Obama as "that one" while discussing energy policy. Many critics of McCain, including the Obama campaign, compared it to the first debate, when McCain did not look at Obama.[34][35] This incident was recreated on Saturday Night Live.[36]<br /><br />October 15: Third presidential debate (Hofstra University – Hempstead, New York)<br /><br />Moderated by Bob Schieffer, CBS News<br />Participants: Barack Obama, John McCain<br />Democratic and Republican<br />Presidential Nominees<br />Location: Hofstra University<br />Hempstead Village,<br />Long Island, New York<br />Date: October 15, 2008<br /><br />The third presidential debate occured on Wednesday, October 15th at 9:00 PM EST in the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex on Hofstra University campus.[37] The focus was on domestic policy and the economy.[38]<br /><br />During the debate repeated references were made to Joe Wurzelbacher, aka "Joe the Plumber"[39] Wurzelbacher had earlier confronted Obama at a rally in Toledo, Ohio where Wurzelbacher complained that Obama's tax policy would make it difficult for him to maintain his prosperity if he bought the business that he had been employed at as a plumber.[39] McCain brought up "Joe the Plumber" and Obama and McCain then made statements aimed directly at Wurzelbacher. These events led to subsequent media attention directed at Wurzelbacher.[40][41]<br /><br />Proposed debates that did not materialize<br /><br />In November, 2007, the CPD rejected New Orleans as a debate site on grounds that the city had not recovered sufficiently from Hurricane Katrina to handle such an event.[42] The decision was criticized, and various candidates and newspapers urged the commission to hold a debate in New Orleans.[43]<br /><br />On April 29, 2008, Google and YouTube announced that they would sponsor a U.S. Presidential Forum, to be held on September 18 at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center. It was intended to be hosted by The New Orleans Consortium, which consists of Women of the Storm and the Greater New Orleans Foundation as well as Dillard University, Loyola University New Orleans, Tulane University, and Xavier University.[44] Unlike debates organized by the CPD, the 15% polling threshold was substituted with a threshold for participation at "no less than 10 percent of the voting age population intending to vote, as measured by at least three nationally-recognized public opinion surveys."[45] This non-CPD sanctioned event was cancelled because no candidates or parties agreed to appear.[46]<br /><br />In June 2008, John McCain proposed 10 town-hall style debates, considered his best format.[47] Obama proposed five total debates between June and Election Day: three traditional debates plus a joint town hall on the economy in July and an "in-depth debate" on foreign policy in August.[48]<br /><br />the above information was found <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election_debates,_2008">here</a>Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-37341682214738209312008-09-18T12:05:00.001-05:002008-09-18T12:11:49.587-05:00Obama back on top"(CBS) In a sign that John McCain's convention bounce has dissipated, Barack Obama has taken a 48 percent to 43 percent lead over his Republican rival among registered voters in the latest CBS News/New York Times poll.<br /><br />McCain had a two percentage point lead among registered voters in a CBS News poll released on September 8th, just after the Republican National Convention. Prior to the party conventions, Obama led McCain by 3 points." <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/17/opinion/polls/main4456249.shtml">More here. </a>Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-42427866558581641322008-09-11T13:57:00.005-05:002008-09-11T14:56:10.613-05:00New video of McCain's release debunks old rumors about how his face became disfigured in vietnamThere have been many rumors on McCain's left cheek (or the right side of his face when looking at him). But recent pictures may confirm a second story, McCain's disfiguration is a result of melanoma, or from swelling due to an absence of soft tissue on his face.<br /><br />Here are some that have been floating around:<br /><br />"He was disfigured in Vietnam. His plane crashed and caught on fire on the flight deck." Found that <a href="http://www.perspectives.com/forums/forum4/20077.html">HERE</a>. This rumor probably came from the injuries he received in vietnam in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forrest_Fire">1967 USS Forrestal Fire.</a> This seems patently false after seeing the picture of his release from Vietnam as shown today.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SMlnmVN3-qI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/WbAPoX63uiI/s1600-h/mccainrelease1.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SMlnmVN3-qI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/WbAPoX63uiI/s320/mccainrelease1.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244837149277682338" /></a><br /><br />"According to Dr. Michael Hinni, senator McCain has a swelling of his left jaw due to "absence of soft tissue on the face in front of his ear (left)." Whether the swelling is related to past medical history of melanoma is unclear. <br />John McCain was diagnosed with melanoma (malignant skin cancer) on his cheek 5 years ago which he says has left his cheek puffy looking." I found this <a href="http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_does_John_McCain's_cheek_look_swollen">HERE</a>. This now seems like the most likely.<br /><br />Here is what his face looks like now:<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SMl3zOZfhEI/AAAAAAAAAWg/6G3SfFxMchg/s1600-h/mccaindarkside.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SMl3zOZfhEI/AAAAAAAAAWg/6G3SfFxMchg/s320/mccaindarkside.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244854962971706434" /></a>Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-6088787354940996462008-09-11T13:39:00.003-05:002008-09-11T13:57:49.439-05:00Lost McCain footage of release from vietnam found<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SMlnsD6-wpI/AAAAAAAAAWY/2tOyH_Tuerg/s1600-h/mccainrelease2.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SMlnsD6-wpI/AAAAAAAAAWY/2tOyH_Tuerg/s320/mccainrelease2.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244837247714247314" /></a><br /><br /><p>Find the video here <a href="http://www.svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=22584&a=1243689&lid=puff_1243756&lpos=rubrik" target="_blank"> <br />HERE</a>Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-64014835695481936422008-09-11T13:34:00.002-05:002008-09-11T13:38:20.910-05:00Sarah Palin interviews to be aired in prime time special on ABC Friday Night"Gibson is having three separate interviews with Palin, ABC said. Parts of the interviews will be spread around other ABC news programs, including "Nightline" and "Good Morning America."<br /><br />The prime-time special, at 10 p.m. EDT, will also include a bio of Palin by ABC's Kate Snow and a round-table discussion on the presidential race moderated by George Stephanopoulos."<br /><br />More about the above article found <a href="http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2008/09/abc_plans_primetime_palin_spec.php">HERE</a>.Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-77519075501611826742008-09-09T09:17:00.005-05:002008-09-09T09:22:42.791-05:00McCain pulling away in the race for Independent votes<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SMaGPj_U2lI/AAAAAAAAAWI/YLKxakHpMG8/s1600-h/a1.bmp"><img style="float:center; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SMaGPj_U2lI/AAAAAAAAAWI/YLKxakHpMG8/s320/a1.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244026418036529746" /></a><br /><br />After the Republican convention, McCain is experiencing a post convention bounce of +6%. Check out more information about this <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/110137/McCain-Now-Winning-Majority-Independents.aspx">HERE</a>Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-85872499758695694132008-09-08T00:10:00.003-05:002008-09-08T00:16:34.471-05:00Updated presidential projections, not predictions<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SMSzx5e1LPI/AAAAAAAAAWA/LSXFOSe0n4Y/s1600-h/538.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SMSzx5e1LPI/AAAAAAAAAWA/LSXFOSe0n4Y/s320/538.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243513535991196914" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://fivethirtyeight.com">I found this cool site that tracks electoral projections</a>, check them out for some cool stuff like the projections to the left.Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-69911669725128704142008-09-07T23:41:00.003-05:002008-09-07T23:48:35.864-05:00Slip sliding away; Barck Obama slip up or freudian slip on his muslim Faith?<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3qotHTtr30I&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3qotHTtr30I&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-20079901223097464412008-09-05T14:34:00.004-05:002008-09-05T14:40:59.122-05:00The 2008 Vice Presidential Candidates have been selectedFor information on the Republican or GOP Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin (not spelled Sara Palan) <a href="http://person-not-party.blogspot.com/2008/08/mccain-selects-sarah-palin-for-vp.html">please click HERE.</a><br /><br />For information on the Democratic or (democrat, liberal) Vice Presidential candidate Joe Biden <a href="http://person-not-party.blogspot.com/2008/08/joe-biden-picked-as-obamas-vp.html">please click HERE.</a>Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-38727488747242644932008-09-05T11:44:00.005-05:002008-09-12T15:01:19.301-05:00Please vote in my Mock Presidential general election<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SMFi9ybV20I/AAAAAAAAASY/Iu9Y4Pv2tcc/s1600-h/mock.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SMFi9ybV20I/AAAAAAAAASY/Iu9Y4Pv2tcc/s320/mock.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242580254883961666" /></a><br /><br /><br />Over in the left sidebar at the top, you will see I added a mock election on September the 4th, 2008 (after McCain accepted the Republican nomination). With 60 days to go, I'm hoping to get a decent sample of how the US will vote (granted people from other countries can vote too). Taking the early lead is Barack Obama, we'll see if that holds true in the short run.Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-20386531893543578452008-09-04T13:04:00.004-05:002008-09-05T14:43:50.837-05:00Vice Presidential Candidate Gov. Sarah Palin (not Palan) (AK) at the RNC<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UCDxXJSucF4&hl=pt-br&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UCDxXJSucF4&hl=pt-br&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-73345052786220213352008-09-04T10:16:00.005-05:002008-09-04T12:58:43.598-05:00Palin's newfound celebrity status brings out profiteers<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SMAhz4LnTaI/AAAAAAAAASQ/NmxnyK66Zn4/s1600-h/palin301393338_350x350_Front_Color-BlackWhite.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SMAhz4LnTaI/AAAAAAAAASQ/NmxnyK66Zn4/s320/palin301393338_350x350_Front_Color-BlackWhite.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242227141397400994" /></a><br /><br /><br />Over in Anchorage's biggest summer bash, pro-palin gear is flying off the racks.<br /><br />"Local and Internet-based businesses are cranking out Sarah Palin products -- from "Palin Power" maternity T-shirts to "Wonder Palin" thong underwear. "<br /><br />One Anchorage entrepreneur, Jim Dooley, printed about 700 John McCain/Palin shirts this weekend, delivering the first batch to the Alaska State Fair by 4 p.m. Friday.<br /><br />They sold out every day.<br /><br />Dooley declined to say how much money he made on the pro-Palin shirts during Alaska's biggest summer bash.<br /><br />But it was enough to "pay for my turkey legs and pork-chop on a stick," he said. <br /><br />Alaska Serigraphics, an Anchorage company, said it will produce pro-Palin T-shirts that will be offered for sale at downtown gift shops, possibly as soon as Friday.<br /><br />"Our mama beats your Obama," reads one of the company's T-shirt designs.<br /><br />The company is also producing pro-Obama T-shirts, noted John Williams, the production manager.<br /><br />The buzz over Palin's selection as McCain's running mate on Friday has other local businesses and Palin advocates seeing potential dollar signs.<br /><br />Trish Houser, the creator of Palintology, an Anchorage-based pro-Palin Web site, has run the site as a personal hobby for two years. She's considering putting ads on it to generate income for the first time.<br /><br />"Oh my gosh, are you kidding me?," she said Tuesday.<br /><br /><br />Check out more of the above article from ELIZABETH BLUEMINK<br /><a href="http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/story/514160.html">here.</a>Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-43093376959819532782008-09-03T15:29:00.001-05:002008-09-04T10:13:51.121-05:00Palintology at its finest: The Sarah Palin Church Video<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QG1vPYbRB7k&hl=pt-br&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QG1vPYbRB7k&hl=pt-br&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-61374863991950447932008-08-29T10:11:00.004-05:002008-09-05T14:45:45.170-05:00McCain selects Sarah Palin for VP<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SLgRwSLp3EI/AAAAAAAAARM/lQpuh9-ru7c/s1600-h/225px-Palin1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SLgRwSLp3EI/AAAAAAAAARM/lQpuh9-ru7c/s320/225px-Palin1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239957687657684034" /></a><br /><br />Well, the Alaskan governor can probably be seen smiling from ear to ear, as McCain attempts to add to his ability to get the female vote. There is no question that this selection was timed to combat Obama's speech induction speech last night. Below is an outline of Palan's background <br /><br />Sarah Louise Heath Palin (born February 11, 1964) is the current Governor of Alaska, and the Republican vice presidential candidate for the November 2008 election.[1] She is expected to be the second female Vice Presidential candidate representing a major American political party (the first was Geraldine Ferraro). After being selected as the runner up in the 1984 Miss Alaska contest, Palin served two terms on the Wasilla, Alaska City Council from 1992 to 1996, was elected mayor of Wasilla in 1996, and ran unsuccessfully for Lieutenant Governor in 2002.<br /><br />Brought to statewide attention because of her whistleblowing on ethical violations by state Republican Party leaders,[2] she won election in 2006 by first defeating the incumbent governor in the Republican primary, then a former Democratic Alaskan governor in the general election.<br /><br /><strong>Family and personal background</strong><br />Palin was born in Sandpoint, Idaho, the daughter of Charles and Sally (Sheeran) Heath.[3] Her family moved to Alaska when she was an infant.[4] Charles Heath was a popular science teacher and coached track.[4] The Heaths were avid outdoors enthusiasts; Sarah and her father would sometimes wake at 3 a.m. to hunt moose before school, and the family would regularly run 5k and 10k races.[4]<br /><br />Palin was the point guard and captain for the Wasilla High School Warriors, in Wasilla, Alaska, when they won the Alaska small-school basketball championship in 1982; she earned the nickname "Sarah Barracuda" because of her intense play.[4] She played the championship game despite a stress fracture in her ankle, hitting a critical free throw in the last seconds.[4] Palin, who was also the head of the school Fellowship of Christian Athletes, would lead the team in prayer before games.[4]<br /><br />In 1984, after winning the Miss Wasilla contest earlier that year, Palin finished second in the Miss Alaska beauty pageant which won her a scholarship to help pay her way through college.[4] In the Wasilla pageant, she played the flute and also won Miss Congeniality.<br /><br />Palin holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Idaho where she also minored in politics.<br /><br />Her husband, Todd, is a Native Yup'ik Eskimo.[4] Outside the fishing season, Todd works for BP at an oil field on the North Slope[5] and is a champion snowmobiler, winning the 2000-mile "Iron Dog" race four times.[4] The two eloped shortly after Palin graduated college; when they learned they needed witnesses for the civil ceremony, they recruited two residents from the old-age home down the street.[4] The Palin family lives in Wasilla, about 40 miles (64 km) north of Anchorage.[6]<br /><br />She briefly worked as a sports reporter for local Anchorage television stations while also working as a commercial fisherman with her husband, Todd, her high school sweetheart.[4] One summer when she was working on Todd's fishing boat, the boat collided with a tender while she was holding onto the railing; Palin broke several fingers.[4]<br /><br />On September 11, 2007, the Palins' son Track joined the Army. Eighteen years old at the time, he is the eldest of Palin's five children.[6] Track now serves in an infantry brigade and will be deployed to Iraq in September. She also has three daughters: Bristol, 17, Willow, 13, and Piper, 7.[7] On April 18, 2008, Palin gave birth to her second son, Trig Paxson Van Palin, who has Down syndrome.[8] She returned to the office three days after giving birth.[9] Palin refused to let the results of prenatal genetic testing change her decision to have the baby. "I'm looking at him right now, and I see perfection," Palin said. "Yeah, he has an extra chromosome. I keep thinking, in our world, what is normal and what is perfect?"[9]<br /><br />Details of Palin's personal life have contributed to her political image. She hunts, eats moose hamburger, ice fishes, rides snowmobiles, and owns a float plane.[10][11] Palin holds a lifetime membership with the National Rifle Association. She admits that she used marijuana when it was legal in Alaska, but says that she did not like it.[12]<br /><br /><br /><strong>Pre-gubernatorial political experience</strong><br />Palin served two terms on the Wasilla City Council from 1992 to 1996. In 1996, she challenged the incumbent mayor, criticizing wasteful spending and high taxes.[4] The ex-mayor and sheriff tried to organize a recall campaign, but failed.[4] Palin kept her campaign promises, reducing her own salary, as well as reducing property taxes 60%.[4] She ran for reelection against the former mayor in 1999, winning by an even larger margin.[4][13] Palin was also elected president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors.[7]<br /><br />In 2002, Palin made an unsuccessful bid for Lieutenant Governor, coming in second to Loren Leman in a four-way race. After Frank Murkowski resigned from his long-held U.S. Senate seat in mid-term to become governor, Palin interviewed to be his possible successor. Instead, Murkowski appointed his daughter, then-Alaska State Representative Lisa Murkowski.[4]<br /><br />Governor Murkowski appointed Palin Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission,[14] where she served from 2003 to 2004 until resigning in protest over what she called the "lack of ethics" of fellow Alaskan Republican leaders, who ignored her whistleblowing complaints of legal violations and conflicts of interest.[4] After she resigned, she exposed the state Republican party's chairman, Randy Ruedrich, one of her fellow Oil & Gas commissioners, who was accused of doing work for the party on public time, and supplying a lobbyist with a sensitive e-mail.[15] Palin filed formal complaints against both Ruedrich and former Alaska Attorney General Gregg Renkes, who both resigned; Ruedrich paid a record $12,000 fine.[4]<br /><br /><br /><strong>Governorship</strong><br /> <br />Governor Palin visits a wounded soldier in Landstuhl, Germany, July 2007In 2006, Palin, running on a clean-government campaign, executed an upset victory over then-Gov. Murkowski in the Republican gubernatorial primary.[4] Despite the lack of support from party leaders and being outspent by her Democratic opponent, she went on to win the general election in November 2006, defeating former Governor Tony Knowles.[4] Palin said in 2006 that education, public safety, and transportation would be three cornerstones of her administration.[12]<br /><br />When elected, Palin became the first woman to be Alaska's governor, and the youngest governor in Alaskan history at 42 years old upon taking office. Palin was also the first Alaskan governor born after Alaska achieved U.S. statehood. She was also the first Alaskan governor not to be inaugurated in Juneau, instead choosing to hold her inauguration ceremony in Fairbanks. She took office on December 4, 2006.<br /><br />Highlights of Governor Palin's tenure include a successful push for an ethics bill, and also shelving pork-barrel projects supported by fellow Republicans. Palin successfully killed the Bridge to Nowhere project that had become a nationwide symbol of wasteful earmark spending.[9][16] "Alaska needs to be self-sufficient, she says, instead of relying heavily on 'federal dollars,' as the state does today."[10]<br /><br />She has challenged the state's Republican leaders, helping to launch a campaign by Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell to unseat U.S. Congressman Don Young[17] and publicly challenging Senator Ted Stevens to come clean about the federal investigation into his financial dealings.[9] Fred Barnes of The Weekly Standard praised Palin as a "politician of eye-popping integrity" and referred to her rise as "a great (and rare) story of how adherence to principle—especially to transparency and accountability in government—can produce political success."[10]<br /><br />In 2007, Palin had an approval rating often in the 90s.[10] A poll published by Hays Research on July 28, 2008 showed Palin's approval rating at 80%.[18]<br /><br /><br /><strong>Energy policies</strong><br />Palin's tenure is noted for her independence from big oil companies, while still promoting resource development.[10][9] Palin has announced plans to create a new sub-cabinet group of advisors, to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions within Alaska.[19]<br /><br />Shortly after taking office, Palin rescinded an appointment by Murkowski of his former chief of staff Jim Clark to the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority, one of thirty-five appointments made by Murkowski in the last hour of his administration that she reversed.[20][21] Clark later pled guilty to conspiring with a defunct oil-field-services company to channel money into Frank Murkowski's re-election campaign.[22]<br /><br />In March 2007, Palin presented the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA) as the new legal vehicle for building a natural gas pipeline from the state's North Slope.[23] Only one legislator, Representative Ralph Samuels, voted against the measure,[24] and in June Palin signed it into law.[25][26] On January 5, 2008, Palin announced that a Canadian company, Transcanada, was the sole AGIA-compliant applicant.[27][28]<br /><br />In response to high oil and gas prices, and in response to the resulting state government budget surplus, Palin proposed giving Alaskans $100-a-month energy debit cards. She also proposed providing grants to electrical utilities so that they would reduce customers' rates.[29] She subsequently dropped the debit card proposal, and in its place she proposed to send Alaskans $1,200 directly and eliminate the gas tax.[30][31]<br /><br /><br /><strong>Social issues</strong><br />Palin is strongly pro-life and belongs to Feminists for Life.[12]<br /><br />She opposes same-sex marriage, but she has stated that she has gay friends and is receptive to gay and lesbian concerns about discrimination.[12] While the previous administration did not implement same-sex benefits, Palin complied with a state Supreme Court order and signed them into law.[32] She supported a democratic advisory vote from the public on whether there should be a constitutional amendment on the matter.[33] Alaska was one of the first U.S. states to pass a constitutional ban on gay marriage, in 1998, along with Hawaii.[34]<br /><br />Palin's first veto was used to block legislation that would have barred the state from granting benefits to the partners of gay state employees. In effect, her veto granted State of Alaska benefits to same-sex couples. The veto occurred after Palin consulted with Alaska's attorney general on the constitutionality of the legislation.[35]<br /><br /><br /><strong>Matanuska Maid Dairy closure</strong><br />When the Alaska Creamery Board recommended closing Matanuska Maid Dairy, an unprofitable state-owned business, Palin objected, citing concern for the impact on dairy farmers and the fact that the Dairy had just received $600,000 in state money. When Palin learned that only the Board of Agriculture and Conservation could appoint Creamery Board members, she simply replaced the entire membership of the Board of Agriculture and Conservation.[10][36] The new board, led by businesswoman Kristan Cole, reversed the decision to close.[36] The new board approved milk price increases offered by the dairy in an attempt to control fiscal losses, even though milk from Washington was already offered in Alaskan stores at lower prices.[37] In the end, the dairy was forced to close, and the state tried to sell the assets to pay off its debts but received no bids.[38][39]<br /><br /><br /><strong>Budget</strong><br />In the first days of her administration, Palin followed through on a campaign promise to sell the Westwind II jet purchased (on a state government credit account) by the Murkowski administration. The state placed the jet for sale on eBay three times. In August 2007, the jet was sold for $2.7 million.[40]<br /><br />Shortly after becoming governor, Palin canceled an 11-mile (18-kilometer) gravel road outside of Juneau to a mine. This reversed a decision made in the closing days or hours of the Murkowski Administration.[41]<br /><br />In June 2007, Palin signed into law the largest operating budget in Alaska's history ($6.6 billion).[42] At the same time, she used her veto power to make the second-largest cuts of the construction budget in state history. The US$237 million in cuts represented over 300 local projects, and reduced the construction budget to nearly US$1.6 billion.[43]<br /><br /><br /><strong>Commissioner dismissal</strong><br />On July 11, 2008, Governor Palin dismissed Walter Monegan as Commissioner of Public Safety and instead offered him a position as executive director of the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, which he subsequently turned down.[44][45] Monegan alleged shortly after his dismissal that it may have been partly due to his reluctance to fire an Alaska State Trooper, Mike Wooten, who had been involved in a divorce and child custody battle with Palin's sister, Molly McCann.[46] In 2006, before Palin was governor, Wooten was briefly suspended for ten days for threatening to kill McCann's (and Palin's) father, tasering his 11-year-old stepson, and violating game laws. After a union protest, the suspension was reduced to five days.[47]<br /><br />Governor Palin asserts that her dismissal of Monegan was unrelated to the fact that he had not fired Wooten, and asserts that Monegan was instead dismissed for not adequately filling state trooper vacancies, and because he "did not turn out to be a team player on budgeting issues."[48] Palin acknowledges that a member of her administration, Frank Bailey, did contact the Department of Public Safety regarding Wooten, but both Palin and Bailey say that happened without her knowledge and was unrelated to her dismissal of Monegan.[48] Bailey was put on leave for two months for acting outside the scope of his authority as the Director of Boards and Commissions.<br /><br />In response to Palin's statement that she had nothing to hide, in August 2008 the Alaska Legislature hired Steve Branchflower to investigate Palin and her staff for possible abuse of power surrounding the dismissal, though lawmakers acknowledge that "Monegan and other commissioners serve at will, meaning they can be fired by Palin at any time."[49] The investigation is being overseen by Democratic State Senator Hollis French, who says that the Palin administration has been cooperating and thus subpoenas are unnecessary.[50] The Palin administration itself was the first to release an audiotape of Bailey making inquiries about the status of the Wooten investigation.[48][51]<br /><br />Wooten and the police union alleged that the governor had improperly released his employment files in his divorce case. However, McCann's attorney released a signed waiver from Wooten demonstrating that Wooten had authorized the release of his files through normal discovery procedures.[52][53]<br /><br />The above information was found at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin">wiki</a>Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-25729799301227946752008-08-25T14:18:00.002-05:002008-09-05T14:33:49.745-05:00Joe Biden picked as Obama's VP<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SLMGfYmTtOI/AAAAAAAAARE/Bkn8mINmJ04/s1600-h/biden.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SLMGfYmTtOI/AAAAAAAAARE/Bkn8mINmJ04/s320/biden.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238537927810856162" /></a><br /><br /><br />Here are the Democratic Vice President's stance on the issues.<br /><br /><strong>Domestic issues</strong><br /><br /><strong> Crime</strong><br />Joe Biden has been given a 71% approval rating from Coalition on Urban Renewal and Education (CURE) indicating a pro-rehab record on crime. He voted in support of funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. He voted for the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which greatly increased the number of federal capital crimes, but also voted against limiting death penalty appeals. He voted for heavier punishments for hate crimes and supports a Federal Bureau of Investigation registry for sex offenders. The Violence Against Women Act was drafted by Senator Joseph Biden, which enhanced the investigation and prosecution of violent crime perpetrated against women, increased pre-trial detention of the accused, provided for automatic and mandatory restitution of those convicted, and allowed civil redress in cases prosecutors chose to leave unprosecuted.<br /><br /><br /><strong> Education</strong><br />Biden received a 91% voting record from the National Education Association (NEA) showing a pro-teacher union voting record. He supports abstinence education, is against student vouchers and affirms the Constitutional right to voluntary prayer in school.[1] He voted in favor of Educational Savings Accounts. In regard to the No Child Left Behind Act Biden stated,<br /><br />Classrooms are too big; we need smaller classrooms, period. A lot of teachers are going to be retiring. We need a program where we attract the best and brightest students coming out of our colleges to be teachers, and pay them.[2]<br /><br />He voted in favor of the Act in 2001, but has subsequently called that vote "a mistake."[3] He feels that the program is underfunding the education system.<br /><br />He also supported the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which abolished education grants for prisoners.[4]<br /><br /><br /><strong> Energy</strong><br />Biden opposes drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and supports governmental funding to find new energy sources.[5]<br /><br />Biden believes action must be taken on global warming. He supports the creation of a new treaty on climate change that would require emissions reductions from developing countries such as Brazil, India, China, and Mexico. He has also stated his support for investment in technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the creation of a "cap and trade" system. Biden supports the promotion of renewable energy, including biodiesel fuels but not ethanol.<br /><br />While campaigning for president in 2007, Biden said that, if elected, his top priority would be "energy security." He has also been quoted as saying "If I could wave a wand, and the Lord said I could solve one problem, I would solve the energy crisis."[6] <br /><br /><br /><strong> Environment</strong><br />He co-sponsored the "Sense of the Senate" resolution calling on the United States to be a part of the United Nations climate negotiations and the "Boxer-Sanders Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act", the most stringent climate bill in the United States Senate.[7] He voted "Yes" on a $3.1B for emergency oil assistance for hurricane-hit areas and "No" for drilling in ANWR on national security grounds and defunding renewable and solar energy.[8]<br /><br /><br /><strong> Gun issues</strong><br />Biden was given an "F" by the National Rifle Association (NRA) showing an anti-gun ownership voting record.[9] He supports reinstating the Federal Assault Weapons Ban and voted against prohibition of lawsuits against gun manufacturers. He has voted to ban assault rifles and to end the "gun show loophole", stating that no one should be able to walk into a gun show and buy a gun more easily than they could at a normal store.<br /><br /><br /><strong> Immigration</strong><br />Biden supported the 2007 Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill. He supports guest-worker visas, and the building of a wall along the border as a deterrent to drug trafficking. He voted to provide Social Security to illegal immigrants and supports a path to citizenship.<br /><br /><br /><strong> Homeland Security</strong><br />After the April 19, 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, a domestic terrorist bomb attack that destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, Biden drafted anti-terrorist legislation, which was ultimately defeated. He later claimed publicly on several occasions that the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 — which eased restrictions on the Executive branch in the surveillance and detention of those suspected of terrorism or facilitating it — was essentially a duplicate of the anti-terrorist legislation he had drafted years earlier.[10] Biden, naturally, supported the PATRIOT Act but voted to limit wiretapping on the bill. He supports implementing the 9/11 Commission's recommendations to fight terrorists but voted to preserve habeas corpus rights to the alleged terror suspects serving in Guantanamo Bay. In the 1990s he voted in favor of 36 vetoed military projects and supports efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation. He was given a 60% approval rating from the American Civil Liberties Union reflecting a mixed voting record on civil rights issues. During a debate on November 15, 2007 Biden clarified the effect of the PATRIOT Act and his continued support for it and his opposition to racial profiling.[11]<br /><br /><br /><strong> Internet privacy and file sharing</strong><br />CNET.com gave Biden a 37.5 in its Technology Issues Voter's Guide.[12]They referred to Biden as "Pro-RIAA" and "Pro-FBI" in his file sharing and privacy stances. Biden sponsored a bill that would make it a felony to record internet radio,[13] and signed a letter that urged the Justice Department to prosecute file sharers.[14] Biden also sponsored two bills, the Comprehensive Counter Terrorism Act and the Violent Crime Control Act, both of which contained language effectively banning encryption.[15] Phil Zimmerman, creator of PGP, has said it was Biden's legislation (SB 266) that "led me to publish PGP electronically for free that year, shortly before the measure was defeated after vigorous protest by civil libertarians and industry groups."[16]<br /><br /><br /> <strong>Economic issues</strong><br />Biden is against the Bush administration's tax cuts and would "take back one year of the tax cuts for Americans who make over a million dollars a year, and put this money in a dedicated Homeland Security and Public Safety Trust Fund to implement the 9/11 Commission recommendations and invest in law enforcement."[17][dead link] Biden supports a balanced budget amendment.<br /><br />Biden was given a 32% approval rating from the United States Chamber of Commerce. He favors taking burdens off corporations to prevent outsourcing.[vague] He voted yes on repealing tax subsidies for companies that outsource jobs and yes on restrictions on personal bankruptcy.<br /><br />Biden cites high health care and energy costs as two major threats to the prosperity of American businesses, and believes that addressing these issues will improve American economic competitiveness.[18][dead link]<br /><br />Biden was given a 100% approval rating from AFL-CIO indicating a heavily pro-union voting record. However, he was one of the Democrats to vote for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1993.[19] Biden was given a 42% approval rating from the Cato Institute, revealing a mixed record on free trade. He opposed the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) but supports normalizing relations with China, Vietnam and the Andean nations. He opposes free trade agreements with Oman, Singapore, and Chile.<br /><br />Biden was given a 100% approval rating from the American Public Health Association (APHA). He supports funding for health care to allow all people access. Biden is opposed to the privatization of Social Security and was given an 89% approval rating from the Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA), reflecting a pro-senior citizen voting record. Voted in support of welfare block grants and supports welfare reform.<br /><br /><br /><strong> Foreign policy</strong><br />The Council on Foreign Relations reported on Biden's political positions.[20]<br /><br /><br /><strong> Iraq</strong><br />As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 2002 he stated that Saddam Hussein was "a long term threat and a short term threat to our national security" and that United States has "no choice but to eliminate the threat".[21] After the Bush Administration rejected his effort to pass a resolution authorizing military action in Iraq only after the exhaustion of diplomatic efforts,[22] Biden voted in favor of the invasions of Iraq in 2003. Biden has since said that he believes it was a mistake to support the Iraq war because it has been mismanaged by the Bush Administration. Regarding his belief that Iraq maintained stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, Biden stated in 2007 that inspectors had seen and cataloged the existence of the materials required to make such weapons prior to their expulsion from Iraq and pondered why Hussein didn't tell the international community that he had disposed of them.[21]<br /><br />Biden is a leading advocate for partitioning Iraq.[23] He supports a "five-step plan" towards removing troops from Iraq. In November 2006, Biden and Leslie Gelb, President Emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, released a comprehensive strategy to end sectarian violence in Iraq. Rather than continuing the present approach or withdrawing, the plan calls for "a third way": federalizing Iraq and giving Kurds, Shiites, and Sunnis "breathing room" in their own regions.[24][dead link] The key points include:<br /><br />Giving Iraq's major groups a measure of autonomy in their own regions. A central government would be left in charge of interests such as defending the borders and distributing oil revenues. <br />Guaranteeing Sunnis — who have no oil rights — a proportionate share of oil revenue and reintegrating those who have not fought against Coalition forces. <br />Increase, not end, reconstruction assistance but insist that Arab Gulf states fund it and tie it to the creation of a jobs program and to the protection of minority rights. <br />Initiate a diplomatic offensive to enlist the support of the major powers and neighboring countries for a political settlement in Iraq and create an Oversight Contact Group to enforce regional commitments. <br />Begin the phased redeployment of U.S. forces in 2007 and withdraw most of them by 2008, leaving a small follow-on force for security and policing actions. <br />The plan, named The Biden-Brownback Resolution, passed on the Senate floor 75-23 on September 25, 2007, including 26 Republican votes.<br /><br /><br /><strong> Africa</strong><br />Biden favors an American deployment of troops to Sudan. In support of this, Biden said senior U.S. military officials in Europe told him that 2,500 U.S. troops could "radically change the situation on the ground now".<br /><br />Biden is opposed to American financing of abstinence only programs to combat HIV-AIDS in Africa. In 2007, he cosponsored the HIV Prevention Act which would end President Bush's mandate that one third of all funds be earmarked to abstinence only programs.<br /><br /><strong> Israel</strong><br />Biden is highly supportive of Israel and favors a two-state solution to the Palestinian Conflict. He stated that "the Arab nations have known that there is no daylight between us and Israel." Biden sponsored the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006.<br /><br /><br /><strong> North Korea</strong><br />Biden favors open dialogue with North Korea and describes them as a "paper tiger", unable to directly cause harm to America. However, in June 2008, he called the situation one of the "the three most important things that the next president is going to have to deal with", along with Iran and Iraq.<br /><br /><br /><strong> Iran</strong><br />Biden favors direct diplomacy with Iran but supports strategically placed sanctions on the regime if it does not comply with American demands. He stated, "we should complement this pressure by presenting a detailed, positive vision for U.S.-Iran relations if Iran does the right thing." In 2007 Biden voted against a measure to declare the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization.<br /><br /><br /><strong> Cuba</strong><br />Biden strongly opposes the Fidel Castro regime in Cuba and supports the continuation of the trade embargo as well as the democratization of the island after the dictator's death. In 2006, Biden stated, "We should be putting together a plan as to how we are going to play a positive role in moving that country, after the Castros are gone, to—more toward democratization and liberalization in their society."<br /><br /><br /><strong> Social issues</strong><br /><br /><strong> Abortion, stem cell research, cloning</strong><br />Joe Biden believes that the Roe v. Wade decision should remain intact. He is quoted as saying, "The best policy for our country on the question of abortion is a policy of Government neutrality. Put another way: I do not believe that the government should be involved in making judgments on whether a woman can, or should have an abortion, or – if she chooses to do so – in paying for that abortion."[citation needed]<br /><br />He voted in favor of a 1999 bill to ban in most circumstances "partial birth abortion"[25] and on the 2003 Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act.[26] Biden has defended these votes as recently as April 2007.[27][dead link] He has also stated his opposition to federal funding of abortions.[28][dead link]<br /><br />He has joined with Democrats in voting against parental notification and a ban on abortions on military bases. Biden's record on abortion is pro-choice, receiving a 100% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America in four of the last five years, although he received a 36% as recently as 2003. Biden pledged that he would appoint Supreme Court justices that share his beliefs.[29][dead link] He has also stated his opposition to the Mexico City Policy, and voted in favor of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act in 1994. Biden supports federal funding for embryonic stem cell research and voted to expand development and voted against a 1998 ban on cloning.<br /><br /><br /><strong> Drug law</strong><br />Biden favors diverting drug offenders out of the nation's prison system. He is ostensibly against making stricter laws for drug offenses, but helped in the creation of a Drug Czar, a government official overseeing all anti-drug operations. According to his campaign website, he is for increased penalties against those caught selling drugs within 1000 feet of schools.[30] He voted against restrictions on children obtaining violent videos and supports funding for the Boys and Girls Clubs in underprivileged areas. He was the drafter and chief sponsor of the RAVE Act, a law that aimed to crack down on MDMA-fueled raves but which was criticized by some as being too broad in scope.[31] The law, which was later renamed the Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act of 2003, was additionally controversial because it was passed without public hearing or debate in Congress, attached to an unrelated child protection bill. Critics of the law assert that it has since been used by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration to intimidate those organizing rallies and fund-raisers to support drug-law reform.[32]<br /><br /><br /><strong> LGBT issues</strong><br />Biden voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act[33] and against the Federal Marriage Amendment.[34] He supports states rights to establish civil unions and favors adding sexual orientation to the criteria for a hate crime.[35]<br /><br /><br />The above information was found <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Joe_Biden">Wiki</a>, here is Biden's stance on various issues.Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-46240175477279466902008-06-19T14:33:00.000-05:002008-06-19T14:45:40.819-05:00McCain, Republicans pissed Obama is privately funding his campaign for PresidentI'm losing my fucking mind here people, the "conservative" candidate is bashing the liberal candidate for NOT using public financing? Hold on a minute McCain and company, you WILL be using the public financing for your campaign run, but the liberal candidate won't be? The McCain camp must be pretty damn terrified of this liberal to be shouting afoul when the liberal renegs on his promise to use public financing to instead stay private. Who in the hell is conservative here; the man advocating a trillion dollar perpetual war and a MUST ACCEPT public financing or you are not trustworthy guy, or the other guy who has seen he needs no public financing so he would rather not use public funds guy? This folks, is why there is no way in hell I could ever vote for McCain, or another goddam so called conservative. I will vote for Obama out of spite for McCain and his stupidity. <a href="http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/06/19/republicans-hammer-obama-for-sidestepping-public-funds/">Check out the Fox News story here</a>.Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-49343987443424029982008-06-11T14:53:00.003-05:002009-01-26T01:32:48.658-06:00Pictures of the United States President Barack Obama as a baby, child, teen and growing up with familyBelow are numerous pictures of a young Barack Obama.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SX1mrr4cRGI/AAAAAAAAAfM/g2g96tBqJGM/s1600-h/39580853.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 271px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SX1mrr4cRGI/AAAAAAAAAfM/g2g96tBqJGM/s320/39580853.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295501637557437538" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SX1mmPtqK2I/AAAAAAAAAfE/jN74w2mMI2Q/s1600-h/28585926.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 193px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SX1mmPtqK2I/AAAAAAAAAfE/jN74w2mMI2Q/s320/28585926.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295501544096672610" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SX1mgwZi23I/AAAAAAAAAe8/8ed7G78iGuE/s1600-h/28587177.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 228px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SX1mgwZi23I/AAAAAAAAAe8/8ed7G78iGuE/s320/28587177.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295501449791462258" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SX1mc1XrALI/AAAAAAAAAe0/oDjvdCaqB5s/s1600-h/39610595.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SX1mc1XrALI/AAAAAAAAAe0/oDjvdCaqB5s/s320/39610595.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295501382406308018" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SX1mWdPFfyI/AAAAAAAAAes/c9EwLybwApI/s1600-h/28585960.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 232px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SX1mWdPFfyI/AAAAAAAAAes/c9EwLybwApI/s320/28585960.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295501272848629538" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SX1mPqwKy2I/AAAAAAAAAek/RLDc0KDVFRg/s1600-h/39581175.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SX1mPqwKy2I/AAAAAAAAAek/RLDc0KDVFRg/s320/39581175.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295501156217965410" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />The Chicago Tribune has several photos of Barack as a young buck, <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/070323obama-early-photogallery,0,5576750.photogallery">check them out here</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SFAumDSCZGI/AAAAAAAAAQk/IuHqgwEs4Ww/s1600-h/older+barack.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SFAumDSCZGI/AAAAAAAAAQk/IuHqgwEs4Ww/s320/older+barack.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210716000118531170" /></a>Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-69299932723257958912008-06-10T09:57:00.001-05:002008-06-10T10:09:18.991-05:00McCain thinks Putin is the President of GermanyI wish this could be labeled satire, too bad McCain. Germany's Chancellor is Angela Merkel and the President is Horst Kohler. In Fact, Putin was the former President of a different goddam country, The Russian Federation, some 3000 plus miles away. It's no wonder the world thinks the US is a bunch of fucking retards, especially when the Republican party nominated him to run for President on his foreign policy expertise. What a fucking joke, this makes me sick.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jfealLrWLIY&hl=pt-br"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jfealLrWLIY&hl=pt-br" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-88166511018340552512008-05-19T14:33:00.000-05:002008-05-19T15:08:00.826-05:00Who is right regarding Iran and US military power, McCain or Obama, or neither?The same old lines and supposed threats are being tossed around by the McCain fear camp. According to McCain, Obama's policy is reckless at best, dangerous at least. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/19/mccain.free.trade/index.html?eref=rss_topstories">Iran wants to wipe Israel off the map, and Obama wants to talk to them</a>. <br />So, let's examine this a bit closer; <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud_Ahmadinejad">Mahmoud Ahmadinejad</a>, President of Iran, wants to wipe Israel off the map. McCain wants no contact or talks with Iran and Hamas and various other "terrorist" countries or groups. On the other hand, Obama wants to talk with them. Who is right? Well, McCain's statement at face value, seems much more logical - but is it really? Obama wants to talk with an insane leader of the Muslim world, he seems ape shit nuts - but is he really?<br /><br />A brief background may provide value here my dear reader. The USA and Israel celebrated this past week the 60th anniversary of Israeli independence. All fine and dandy hey, 60 years of national soverignty. However, there is another side to the story - that of the Palestinians. Iran's leader does not want to eradicate or wipe Israel off the map in a literal sense, rather a figurative one. His point is the US and British prior militaries put up barriers on shared land and forcefully eradicated any non-Jewish group out of the land. Ahmadinejad wants to remove those barriers or wipe those barriers known as Israel away - so that the people who were originally displaced can have what was rightfully their's back. So, let me reiterate this, Iran wants to remove the barriers, to tear down the US and British built Ottoman empire state, not nuke the whole fucking place.<br /><br />Now, is McCain ignoring what the US did back then? It sure seems that way to me. I do realize McCain was only 12 when Israel became a country, but he can't be that fucking naive. Now, if McCain were to say, Iran wants to tear down the Israeli borders, so that he can push Muslim values on the Jews, and it is our duty to protect them, I wouldn't have so much a problem - even though I would still disagree with McCain. I think Obama has balls to stand up against McCain, and try and break down the barriers that have resulted from our interjection into the Middle East over half a century ago. Now, what Obama will really be able to do to help the situation - I'm uncertain - and would probably argue there is little to nothing to do. My point is, McCain takes the Bully aproach and attempts to distort foreign powers as evil doers who want to blow everyone up, when that is most always not true, rather they simply want a piece of what was theirs to begin with. McCain, please stop fucking dumbing down our country to your level, you fucking asswipe. And for Obama, what the fuck do you think you are going to do to change an inevtiable outcome in the Middle East short of tearing down the borders that we helped build? Nothing, asshole - unless you propose differently.Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-68627576611041085072008-05-15T10:03:00.000-05:002008-05-15T10:07:51.890-05:00Who do we select: McCain and ObamaMcCain: I call myself convervative, I advocate a perpetual multi-trillion dollar war, I look like a chipmunk from defending this country.<br /><br />Obama: I am liberal, I advocate ripping off the rich in the name of the poor, I want to be MLK.<br /><br />What to do America? It doesn't matter anyway, its all too fucked up now.Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-82074996605496500622008-05-14T08:51:00.001-05:002008-05-14T09:37:00.891-05:00George Bush and the US celebrate Israeli Independence, spit in the face of hundreds of thousands of PalestiniansFor every up there is a down and for every high there is a low - and so it goes. This week we have the Israeli celebration of their independence and reclamation of their Holy land, with many Palestinians still crying from their displacement and ethnic "cleansing". This truly is a conflict that will never be resolved, and the US should be remembered for its part in the continuation of this drama and its part in the Nakba. Reuters has an an excellent <a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/middleeastCrisis/idUKL1374160720080514">"Factbox" timeline</a> of the events leading up to Israel's declaration of Independence and national sovereignty in 1948.<br /><br />Now, I am not an Arab apologist, a Jewish supporter, or an American hater. In fact, I could give a shit less who's land the current state of Israel originally belonged to. No matter what, wars have been going on over that land for thousands of years. The point of this opinion piece is to show you how ludicrous the US' foreign policy really is. The bottom line is, the US decided to go stick their stupid fucking noses in other people's business; We chose sides because of our countries predominant Christian religion. However, we needed not choose sides, rather mind our own.<br /><br />Now, after helping prop up the current state of Israel, and displace hundreds of thousands of Palestinians so that we could build barriers to protect the Jewish "holyland," we celebrate Israel's independence and piss on the Palestinians. <br /><br />There will never be a resolution in the Mideast until one side is completely destroyed, Muslim or Christian. However, the US, in its slightly over 200 years existence thinks' it has come to the rescue of the persecuted Jew. This is the equivalent of a child breaking up a fight between two pit bulls by putting a chicken wire fence between them, and then declaring hooray, hooray. As soon as they get a chance, they will blow each other to pieces.<br /><br />The problem is, the vast majority of US citizens have no clue what we do outside of this country. Sure, we did help one group of people, however, it was at the expense of another group. Celebrating that fact in spite of everyone else it affected is ignorant at minimum, and reckless for sure (GWB and Co.). We did what we did and chose to defend a side, still there is no need of continual provocation of the ill affected group.<br /><br />Now, ask yourself why does just about every other country think the US are a bunch of fucking idiots, well it's because of this trpe of shit. Don't get me wrong, I love this country and most everything it stands for, however I don't agree with pushing our agenda on other countries or religions with regards to our foreign policy.Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-34888819466882283992008-05-13T08:56:00.002-05:002008-05-13T09:17:23.823-05:00Bob Barr enters the race on the Libertarian ticket, to challenge McCain and Paul<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SCmiVPkWj0I/AAAAAAAAAQU/sIw98Jlc5oQ/s1600-h/bob.bmp"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VCpfScnq4XM/SCmiVPkWj0I/AAAAAAAAAQU/sIw98Jlc5oQ/s320/bob.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199865730615906114" /></a><br /><br /><br />Well, Ron Paul took too long for the Libertarian party to wait, <a href="http://www.lp.org/libertydecides/">so enters former Republican Bob Barr into the presidential race</a>. Watch out Ron Paul, you may actually lose some of your punch now and potential Manifesto book sales, seeing your followers and supporters still lack a candidate that will be nominated by a party. The fact is, Both Ron Paul and Bob Barr will negatively affect John McCain's bid in the general election. Even if they pull a measely 3-5% of the vote, the Libertarians or so-called paleo-conservatives with all of their individual responsibility jargon, could swing the popular vote - not that it makes a bit of a fucking difference. And for the record, Ron Paul, you are not a Republican anymore - the rest of your old team is dead, you are now dealing with a bunch of fucking retards that call themselves conservative, give it up - I thought you were gonna play the old bait and switch - but you are too goddam stupid.Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6938488858092623841.post-80285570456594297622008-05-13T08:35:00.001-05:002008-05-13T09:13:31.841-05:00Obama and his 57 states of the Union, well 58 if you are countingRumor has it, <a href="http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080512/NATION03/508903989/0/FOREIGN">Obama made a speech in Oregon where he stated that he has visited 57 states</a>, with one more to go. Taking a page out of McCain's book of Senile Moments, Obama shows he is human, and or stupid. Maybe this is why he has such a lead on Clinton, because of those extra state votes.Mark: St. Louis, MOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18072745817378662549noreply@blogger.com0